Covering all the bases with whatever's bouncing around in my head today!

“Long Stick Goes Boom”

That would have been ideal entrance music last night when Raul Ibanez came up to bat in the top of the tenth, with the score knotted at 3-3. For the second night in a row, the Phils battled back to tie the game and go to extra innings. Instead of Chase Utley, though, it was Ibanez’s bat that went boom, and sent a 3-run homer into the seats to put the Phils up 6-3. Ryan Madson again held the Mets scoreless in the bottom of the frame to give the Phils the win, and the series, 2 games to 1.

The Phillies open a 3-game weekend series tonight against the Red Sox, who’ve just come off a 3-game sweep of the Yankees. Personally, I am not a huge fan of interleague games. I think the novelty of it has long since worn off. I’d rather see more games against teams from the NL Central and West, some of whom make only one series appearance in Philly the entire season. But since I’m not in charge of these things, I guess I’m stuck with it for now.

“Alex, I’d Like to Buy a Vowel”

Here’s a guy whose name recently caught my eye when the New Hampshire Fisher Cats played against the Reading Phillies:

Pitcher Marc Rzepczynski. I’m not even going to begin to try to pronounce that one. And imagine trying to learn how to spell that as a preschooler! Wonder if he ever dreams about being named Smith or Jones?

“Driving South”

Just like the Stone Roses, the hubby and I will be heading south this weekend for a bit of vacation time. I will not be blogging from the road, as I hate typing on a laptop – it just doesn’t feel right to me. We’re hoping to catch some major and minor league action on this trip, and I will be posting coverage of it upon my return next week.

Sue, I totally agree that the novelty of interleague play has worn off. But it makes a lot of money for MLB, and as long at that continues, so will interleague play. As for Marc Rzepczynski…wow, that’s an even better name than Jarrod Saltalamacchia! But Jarrod’s last name does have 3 more letters. LOL
Shelleyhttp://diamonddiva.mlblogs.com/

Ahhh note to Bud Selig, great replay rule, now we need a new rule on an appeal directly to the MLB control center in New York!
How can these umps have not replayed this is a crime. That’s what the technology is there for, if it’s in question it should be reviewed!

Sue,
I don’t like interleague. The reason why we are having big crowds for the Dodger series against the A’s is because they offered free parking for the 3 game series. Enjoy your vacation. I only have a laptop at home, the desktop at work and a work laptop so I get a lot of things done in the laptop. Is it the screen, the keyboard or the mouse you don’t like?
Emmahttp://crzblue.mlblogs.com/

Julia – I kind of figured it was Polish. I’m just afraid I’d hurt my tongue trying to say it!
Shelley – I’m with you, I’m tired of interleague play. But again, it’s the money aspect that’ll keep it alive.
Jenn – that was one of many frustrating losses last week!
Rich – I agree they could have at least looked. I guess they figured there was no way to tell depth on the replay – even though it looks to be directly over the pole, how do you tell if it’s in front of, over, or behind the pole at that point?
Dillon – I wish they could have obliged, but they only won one.
Canuck – please let interleague play be done! Your Rays just whupped them last night.
Emily – yeah, watching AL pitchers hit can be highly entertaining!
Cat – Thanks! I’m back now, but had a nice time away.
Emma – it’s a combination of the keyboard and the touchpad instead of a mouse. I can’t explain exactly what doesn’t feel right about the keyboard, and on my husband’s laptop, if you let the cursor hover over a link too long, it just goes there whether you wanted to or not. Very annoying!

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